The Child and Family Center hosted its “Viva Las Vegas” themed fundraiser at the Sand Canyon Country Club on Saturday with proceeds benefiting the services the center offers to continue helping vulnerable communities.
The Child and Family Center’s services include domestic violence shelter programs, mental health services and substance use programs for vulnerable community members in the Santa Clarita Valley. The “Viva Las Vegas” themed fundraiser was a way for guests to have fun and support the organization with a goal of raising $16,000 at the event.
“We have served the Santa Clarita Valley for over 40 years, and we run the one and only domestic violence shelter in Santa Clarita,” said Diana Pretzlaff, board member of the organization. “We serve people who are on Medi-Cal, the most vulnerable people in our community.”
The organization was founded in 1976, according to Child and Family Center CEO Nikki Buckstead. “We were working with little kids, preschoolers and kindergarteners that had behavioral issues and some challenges,” said Buckstead. “We have about 155 staff people and we serve about 950 people a month.”
The event was described as something new and exciting by Buckstead — “bringing the community together to have fun, but also to help raise awareness of Child and Family Center, our services, and of course the critical funding that we need.”
“Special guests” included Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra, as impersonators of the famous musical artists serenaded the guests. Showgirls in flapper dresses and vibrant-colored feathers walked around the venue on Saturday night while people could get “married” and guests could gamble throughout the night playing a variety of table games.
